FL passes nation’s toughest anti-protest law – National & International News – WED 21Apr2021

FL passes toughest anti-protest law in US. Miners’ union OK’s shift from coal in exchange for green jobs. President of Chad dies on battlefield. Afghan peace conference postponed

NATIONAL NEWS

FL passes toughest anti-protest law in US

Ahead of yesterday’s verdict in the George Floyd case, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the nation’s toughest restrictions on public assembly into law. Debate over this law has been generating controversy in Florida for months. It seems no accident that DeSantis decided to sign it just as the jury in the Floyd case was about to decide Chauvin’s fate.

DeSantis says the message of the law is, “If you riot, if you loot, if you harm others, particularly if you harm a law enforcement officer during one of these violent assemblies, you’re going to jail”. However, critics say parts of the law violate Floridians’ First Amendment rights and have vowed to challenge it in court.

What’s in the law?

The new law claims to strengthen protections for police and impose harsher penalties for looting or violence during a protest. It also increases penalties for protesters who block roadways or deface public monuments. As critics point out, looting or violence, especially against police officers, during protests are already criminal offenses that come with corresponding jail time. They consider this part of the law to be DeSantis’ appeal to the Republican base as he reportedly contemplates a 2024 run for the presidency.

The most controversial portion of the law is the creation of a new crime, “mob intimidation”. Critics say the wording of this portion of the law is vague enough that it could be interpreted to prohibit any public assembly of three or more people. The law also stipulates that anyone arrested at a protest may not be released on bail until they make a court appearance.

The new law also attempts to strike a blow at the “Defund Police” movement. Under the new law, law enforcement can appeal directly to the governor or his cabinet should municipalities impose any cuts to their budgets.

War on the First Amendment

Civil rights groups say that the law places unconstitutional limits on freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. Micah Kubic of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, says, “To be clear, the goal of this law is to silence dissent and create fear among Floridians who want to take to the streets to march for justice”.

Florida State Sen. Shevrin Jones compares the law to Jim Crow-era legislation and said Gov. DeSantis has “declared war on the First Amendment”.

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Miners’ union OK’s shift from coal in exchange for green jobs

The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA), the largest union of coal miners in the US, has voiced support for President Biden’s proposal to phase out coal in favor of a transition to renewable energy. The UMWA said its support was contingent on a “true energy transition” that provides jobs in the renewable energy sector for out-of-work coal miners.

UMWA President Cecil Roberts said, “I think we need to provide a future for those people. A future for anybody that loses their job because of a transition in this country, regardless if it’s coal, oil, gas or any other industry for that matter″.

Roberts added, “We talk about a ‘just transition’ all the time. I wish people would quit using that. There’s never been a just transition in the history of the United States″.

Roberts was joined by Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a state which has borne the economic brunt of the transition from coal. Manchin said that help for coal miners should be an essential component of Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal. “Basically what is needed … is the human infrastructure,″ Manchin said. “You can’t leave anybody behind″.

Manchin referred especially to the thousands who have already lost coal mining jobs in recent years. “I can tell you how West Virginia feels. We feel like returning Vietnam veterans,” Manchin said. “We’ve done every dirty job you’ve asked us to do. We never questioned. We did it and performed well. And now all of a sudden we’re not good enough, we’re not clean enough, we’re not green enough and we’re not smart enough. You want to know why they quit voting for Democrats? That’s the reason″.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

President of Chad dies on battlefield

Yesterday, Chadian President Idriss Déby died from wounds he suffered in a skirmish near his country’s border with Libya. Déby had been visiting troops battling rebels based to the north across the Libyan border. Since seizing power in Chad after coming up through the military ranks, Déby became one of Africa’s most enduring strongman dictators. He ruled Chad with an iron fist for three decades, and was just days away from securing a 6th term as its president. Now, his death leaves his country’s future in doubt. 

Déby was infamous for ruthless suppression of dissent, human rights abuses and election rigging. But the West saw Déby as a key ally in the fight against terrorism in Africa’s Sahel region. Notably, French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Déby as a “courageous friend” and “great soldier”, and will be attending Déby’s funeral.

The country’s rule has passed to Déby’s son, Mahamat Déby, 37. One of the country’s major rebel groups immediately vowed to overthrow the younger Déby, declaring that “Chad is not a monarchy”. 

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Fight to end America’s longest war not over

Following Biden’s recent vow to remove all US troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, several major stumbling block for transition to peace remain. On the one hand, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has refused to move forward with a transitional government with Taliban representation. On the other hand, the Taliban has now refused to engage in peace talks with the country’s elected government.

Last year, then-President Trump signed a deal with the Taliban to withdraw all troops by May 1. After Biden’s extension of that deadline, the Taliban have ruled out peach talks with the Afghan government until the last US soldier has left. A key peace summit had been scheduled to take place in Istanbul to move the peace process forward. The parties have now postponed those talks, citing limited prospects of progress.

Regardless of the postponement, the US and NATO have vowed to adhere to the Sept. 11 deadline for withdrawal of their combined force 13,000 troops from the country.

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